(I Just Came to Say) Hello!

May 30th, 2013

Hey Y'all!

I'm in the middle of orientation week right now. It's awesome being surrounded by so many people who love geophysics and seismology as much as I do!

One of the great opportunities I have had this week is learning how to install a seismometer. It was hot outside and my luggage was left in Chicago so i was in flip flops and a skirt, but I still had a lot of fun. Alexis and I set up the solar panel really quickly, so then we got to help with burying the equipment -- bare feet are surprisingly helpful at filling a hole with sand.

Setting up the seismometer helped me understand the many issues that can arise when collecting data - including the effects of changing temperatures, incomplete burial, etc. I think this experience will help me when I go to Scripps and analyze OBS data, because there are many more complications that can arise when collecting seismic data from instruments that are thousands of meters below the surface.

We only have a few more days left here in New Mexico, but this experience is leaving me very excited for my research this summer!